“The Eighth Scroll” by Laurence B. Brown is a fictional book that draws on Judaism, Christianity and Islam to create a new story. The book follows the familiar path of other books featuring religious relics.
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I liked “The Eighth Scroll” by Laurence B. Brown, it was a well-written story that I found interesting and provocative. The story takes place all around the Middle East, is action-packed with an archeology theme.
The main characters in this book are interesting and dimensional. The book follows the theme of other books in the genre where the hero is looking for/protecting an important religious relic (the lost ark, the holy grail, etc.) which could destroy or enlighten the world – but most likely both.
As in many books in this genre, the storytelling is a bit corny, but that’s fine, I don’t have an issue with that type of stylistic choice by the author. While I might not have found it as humorous as it was intended, I still appreciate the puns.
However, what confused me where the jumps in time. It could have been that I have had a PDF that was not well-formatted for my nook, but it took me a good chapter to realize, for example, that the story jumped a decade or so into the future.
The other thing which bugs me is that the main character is all-powerful. Taking on trained killers, makes miraculous escapes, etc. This seems to me simply to be part of the genre as other books I have read in the same line have these super-human protagonists. I am a lover of grey when it comes to protagonists; even Superman has his dark side (and Darksied).
The book, while trying to explain the complex Middle East situation, is very clearly on the side of the Palestinian moral fence. That’s fine but I didn’t think it added to the story to make all the Israelis seem incompetent. Not because of my political, social or moral allegiance but simply from a storytelling point of view. If you keep telling the reader how Mossad is one of the best secret services agencies in the world, and how they sent two of their best agents after your protagonist, at least make them somewhat competent.
Overall though I thought this was a fun book, the pace was fast, the religious doctrines introduced were not complex and there were good elements of suspense.
Michael Hanson is an intelligent person with an amazing memory. He takes interest in his father’s occupation as an archeologist but when they discover something which could change the world, strange things are happening.
As an adult, Michael is hell-bent on finding out what the mystery is about and gets caught in an international struggle. The madness around Michael continues but he is determined to find the answers.
Buy The Eighth Scroll from Amazon.com*
More Books by Laurence B. Brown*
Zohar – Man of la Book
Disclaimer: I got a PDF of this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
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Sounds like my kind of book. Will have to check it out.